Agirretxe at the double for Sociedad

Posted Saturday, August 27, 2011 by PA

Real Sociedad won the first game of the new Spanish season 2-1 thanks to an impressive performance at Sporting Gijon.

Imanol Agirretxe scored with neat headed finishes either side of the break to give the Basque side a 2-0 lead, but Sporting replied almost immediately through Miguel De Las Cuevas' penalty.

Sociedad also had Carlos Martinez sent off in conceding the spot-kick and came under severe pressure in the last quarter, but held out for the three points.

Both sides looked rusty in their first appearance of the season during a disappointing first half.

Indeed it took 34 minutes for either side to create a decent chance and it resulted in the opening goal.

Real Sociedad moved the ball well through midfield before Xabi Prieto played Martinez in on the overlap and his cross was accurately powered down and into the net by Agirretxe.

Sporting came out with a greater attacking intent in the second period and Claudio Bravo had to be alert to parry away a Diego Barral shot.

But the hosts went further behind on 65 minutes when Agirretxe looped another header over Juan Pablo after another assist from Prieto.

Sporting reduced the deficit within three minutes when Martinez was penalised for upending Alberto Botia and was dismissed, De Las Cuevas coolly sending Bravo the wrong way from the penalty.

The home side then piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser with all three substitutes Gaston Sangoy, Alberto Rivera and Oscar Trejo making a positive impact, but the latter's shot from the edge of the area that flew wide was the closest they came.

Their frustrating evening was rounded off when Alberto Lora was also sent off in the final minute for a second yellow card.